MISTOFFELEES! TANTOMILE IS MISSING!
Mistoffelees woke to Coricopat's panicked voice shouting in his head. Eyes wide, he scrambled out of his nest, his heart beating furiously in his ears as he ran his friend's side.
The tom was panicking, pacing in tight, anxious circles as he felt through the junkyard for his twin. Mistofflees had to hold onto his arms, shaking him to get the worried tom to focus on him.
"I-I can feel her." Coricopat's voice shook as he ran shaking claws through his head fur. "I can feel her, but I don't know where she is. She was just going hunting…"
"It's okay." Mistoffelees soothed him, rubbing his hands down Coricopat's arms. "Let me try, okay? Go let Munkustrap know. If I can't find her we'll have to go searching."
Coricopat nodded, rushing off through the junkyard to Munkustrap's usual perch. Mistoffelees sank down onto the ground, closing his eyes tight and focusing on the familiar feel of Tantomile in his mind. He followed it carefully, trying to get a sense of where she was.
He was still lost in his mind when someone laid a gentle paw on his shoulder. He looked up, dazed, blinking rapidly until his gaze focused on Munkustrap.
"Any luck?" he asked seriously, gaze flicking around the clearing.
Mistoffelees shook his head, clearing his throat.
"She's in the woods somewhere. Not too far, but I couldn't get anything more. I might be able to lead you if I get closer."
Munkustrap nodded briefly, making eye contact with Alonzo and nodding towards the forest.
Mistoffelees climbed to his feet, biting his lip before touching Munkustrap's arm. The other tom turned back to him swiftly.
"Munk? I think she's hurt."
Munkustrap hissed quietly.
"Coricopat will have to stay here." He said firmly, raising his voice enough for the mystic to hear. "I don't want to risk… anything."
Coricopat mewled quietly, sinking down reluctantly as the three toms left.
~.~.~.~.~
Mistoffelees led the way through the woods, Munkustrap and Alonzo following close behind. All three cats were alert, moving silently and constantly checking for any new threats or smells.
Mistoffelees paused several times to check on his link to Tantomile, his movements becoming more confident as they got further from the junkyard. After several long minutes he let out a sigh of relief.
"She's awake." he murmured to Munkustrap, picking up his pace. He ran into a clearing and skidded to a halt, lowering himself to all fours and crawling slowly up to the base of a tree.
Mistoffelees was trying to hide his anxiety. Tantomile was ignoring his mental nudges, and she hadn't looked up as the toms crashed into the clearing. He crawled closer to her, trying to make himself seem as unthreatening as possible.
Munkustrap watched in concern until he caught Tantomile's scent and relaxed, turning his attentions to the surrounding woods. There was the scent of a strange tom in the clearing, faint but obvious, and he realised what had happened in horror. He turned his back on them deliberately, trying to offer them some privacy so that Tantomile could regain a little of her dignity and glared at Alonzo until he copied his actions, the two toms standing guard against any possible threat.
Tentatively, Mistoffelees nuzzled against her and Tantomile finally looked up at him, her lips trembling as her eyes filled with tears. Mistoffelees gathered her gently into his arms, murmuring into her ears as he rubbed her back and groomed her fur.
When her tears finally slowed, Mistoffelees hugged her tightly, running his hand down the back of her head.
"Ready to go see Coricopat?" he asked gently, kissing her cheek. "He's worried about you."
"I know." Tantomile said weakly, her voice hoarse as she tapped her temple, leaning against Mistoffelees in exhaustion. "He hasn't stopped since I woke up."
Mistoffelees managed a brief smile, nuzzling their faces together. "Can you walk?" he asked hesitantly, glancing over at Munkustrap and Alonzo.
Tantomile frowned, closing her eyes as she shifted experimentally.
"I don't think so." She murmured, staring down at the ground in shame.
"It's okay." Mistoffelees soothed, nuzzling against her again. "Can Munkustrap help you? Or do you want Coricopat to come meet us?" he asked her gently, knowing that she was more comfortable with Munkustrap than Alonzo.
"Munkustrap. Please." She breathed, dropping her head onto his shoulder. Mistoffelees glanced up, finding the silver tom already half turned towards them. Munkustrap stepped carefully towards them, waiting for Tantomile's slight nod before scooping her carefully into his arms. Tantomile forced herself to relax as the three toms began the trek back to the Junkyard, closing her eyes as she listened to her twin's voice, the familiarity comforting her despite Coricopat's worry.
Mistoffelees called out to Coricopat when they were close, and he rushed to meet them, trying to take his sister out of Munkustrap's arms. Munkustrap shrugged him off, and Mistoffelees pulled him away.
"She's sleeping." Mistoffelees murmured to the other tom, clutching tightly at his arm. Coricopat nodded sharply, his eyes never leaving the form of his sister as they followed Munkustrap through the Junkyard to Jenny's den.
As soon as Munkustrap had placed Tantomile in Jenny's den and backed away, Coricopat had curled protectively around her, nuzzling her gently. Munkustrap placed a paw on Mistoffelees shoulder, glancing back at the twins.
"Let me know if you need anything."
~.~.~.~.~
Mistoffelees and Coricopat spent the next two weeks hovering protectively over Tantomile, only leaving to hunt. She slowly started to recover, spending less and less time curled in her nest and a little more time with them, a little more time curled in sun patches, and she eventually started allowing Coricopat to connect their minds again.
Their new peace lasted just over a week – then Mistoffelees started to notice a different energy around Tantomile. Coricopat couldn't sense it, but it worried him enough that he pressured her into going back to Jenny, just to check.
Jenny grumbled at Mistoffelees the whole time they were there, but her attitude changed as soon as she kneaded Tantomile's stomach, staring down at it in shock.
"I'm so sorry." She breathed finally, looking up at their worried faces. "You're pregnant."
~.~.~.~.~
It took Coricopat and Mistoffelees two days to coax Tantomile back out of her mind. They didn't realise at first – they'd stopped trying to reach her after the first few hours – but Mistoffelees noticed her digging her claws into her nest, worrying at the loose threads.
"Tantomile?" he murmured, not wanting to startle the queen.
She took a shuddering breath, looking up at them with tears streaking down her cheeks.
"What am I going to do with a kitten?"
Coricopat settled beside her, freeing her claws from the blanket and pulling her into his arms.
"I'll help you." He promised her, glancing at Mistoffelees over her shoulder.
"The whole tribe will help you." Mistoffelees agreed. "They love kittens, regardless of their circumstances." He reassured her gently, settling on her other side and rubbing his paws down her back. "And if it helps at all, I think the kit is mystic."
Tantomile's head shot up to stare at him.
"The energy coming off it is… different to normal." Mistoffelees shrugged, his eyes unfocussed as his hand hovered towards Tantomile's stomach. "It's similar to you and Coricopat… but different at the same time." Mistoffelees frowned, shaking his head as he glanced up at the twins.
Coricopat tilted his head, studying Mistoffelees.
"I guess we'll find out."
~.~.~.~.~
Tantomile's feelings about her kitten switched repeatedly over the next month. Occasionally she'd be excited – she'd never thought she'd have a kit, not wanting or needing a relationship outside of her partnership with her brother. Other times she hated it, especially as the growing kitten started to limit her movement, and she was no longer to keep up with Coricopat.
It didn't help that the idea of giving birth absolutely terrified her.
As the kitten grew, Tantomile found herself sleeping more and more, often with Mistoffelees and Coricopat sitting guard outside her den.
About a week before Jenny thought the kitten was due, Tantomile woke in her den to hear the two toms talking quietly outside.
"How do I look after a kitten?" Coricopat asked quietly. Tantomile could tell by the tone of his voice that he was nervous, but she restrained herself from reaching out with her mind to calm him, waiting instead for Mistoffelees' reply.
"They're not too hard, at first." Mistoffelees mused quietly. "They just want to be held, and comforted and fed. Once they learn to crawl it gets harder, because you have to watch them to make sure they don't hurt themselves. It's easier for me, because all I have to do is monitor their energies. But still, all they want is to be loved and looked after. Even once they get bigger, all you have to do is love them – and it doesn't matter if you make mistakes. Everyone does." Tantomile closed her eyes, pressing her hand against her kitten fondly.
"How do you know?" Coricopat still sounded unsure. "When have you ever looked after a kitten?"
Mistoffelees chuckled quietly. "Jenny gets me to babysit occasionally. The kittens usually behave for me because they want to see my magic tricks."
Coricopat laughed. "Are you volunteering to babysit for Tantomile?" he teased.
"Of course I'll babysit for Tantomile, if she wants me to." Mistoffelees sounded like that should have been obvious, and Tantomile smiled, nestling further into her blankets.
I know you're awake.
Mistoffelees' voice in her mind was teasing, and she laughed, struggling upright.
Are you going to come and join us?
I'm trying!
Mistoffelees chuckled, and in seconds she saw him poke his head into her den.
"Want some help?" he offered, and Tantomile nodded. Mistoffelees crossed the den, looping his arm around her back and easing her to her feet.
"That speech was for you, you know." He said quietly, steadying her as they started to cross the den. "I knew you were listening."
Tantomile shot him a glance, resting a paw on her stomach.
"Thank you."
~.~.~.~.~
After that day, Coricopat and Mistoffelees began to take turns staying with Tantomile. No one particularly wanted her to be alone when her labour pains started.
As it turned out, they didn't need to worry. Three days after she was due, Mistoffelees started watching her worriedly, the frown seemingly permanent on his face.
"Can we go see Jenny?" he asked finally, and Tantomile sighed. When she caught sight of his expression, she gave in easily enough, trudging slowly through the junkyard with him.
Jenny shook her head at Mistoffelees when she realised they were only there because of his fussing.
She got halfway through the examination when Tantomile started hissing, her claws digging into Mistoffelees' arm.
Mistoffelees yelped, jumping away, and Jenny shot him an amazed look.
"How did you know she was going into labour?" she asked him, kneading Tantomile's stomach gently.
"I didn't!" Mistoffelees looked panicked, staring at the queens then glancing longingly at the door. "Something just felt wrong."
"I might have to consider training you as my assistant." She muttered, shaking her head slightly.
Tantomile yowled, and Jenny turned her attention back to the queen.
"Can you go get Jelly for me dear?" she asked, dismissing Mistoffelees quickly.
Mistoffelees hurried out of the den with a sigh of relief, sending Jelly to aid Jenny before going to find Coricopat.
They took the chance to fill Tantomile's den with the new blankets and pillows they'd been collecting for her and the new kitten, before heading back to Jenny's to wait.
Halfway through the night an exhausted Jelly exited the den, smiling fondly at the toms.
"She's sleeping – Jenny will let you see them in the morning." She said kindly. "Go get some sleep, you'll need it if you're going to help her."
Jelly stood firm until the two toms slunk away, before finally stumbling off to get some rest.
~.~.~.~.~
Coricopat was woken by Tantomile's teasing voice in his mind.
Wake up already Coricopat. Don't you want to meet your niece?
I'm on my way, I promise! Should I bring Mistoffelees?
Coricopat stretched as he waited for her reply, easing out of his nest.
Of course you should. He's one of us now.
A pleasant shiver ran down Coricopat's spine, grinning slightly to himself as he hurried to Mistoffelees' den.
The black and white tom was sleeping soundly, and yowled when Coricopat pounced on him.
"Tantomile's ready for us." He grinned as Mistoffelees rubbed at his face sleepily. The tom perked up quickly, rolling out of his nest and hurrying to the door.
"Shall we?"
At Jenny's den, Mistoffelees hung back slightly, feeling a little uncertain as Coricopat rushed up to his sister, his eyes widening as she passed him a tiny bundle.
Tantomile settled back into the nest, her hands folded uncertainly across her stomach. She watched her brother for a moment before frowning, glancing up to check the room. Her face brightened when she spotted Mistoffelees, gesturing him over.
He hesitantly seated himself beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she nestled into his side.
"I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked quietly, licking her cheek tentatively.
"No," she murmured quietly, "It doesn't hurt anymore."
He gazed over at Coricopat, who was already looking so at ease with the little kitten.
"She's so sweet, Tanto…" Coricopat purred, his face alight with awe, "What are you going to call her?"
Tantomile went quiet, contemplating, "I don't know," she said softly, "I'm sure a name will come when the time is right."
Coricopat glanced up at Mistoffelees with a smile, "Do you want to hold her?"
Mistoffelees froze, and Tantomile chuckled, taking her daughter off of Coricopat and placing her into his lap.
"Don't be scared, she won't bite." Tantomile teased, nudging him until Mistoffelees curled his arms around the kitten. She mewled, and Mistoffelees smiled, lifting her up to nuzzle against his cheek.
"You shouldn't worry." Tantomile murmured, watching them together. "You're one of us now."
Mistoffelees' ears twitched and he gave them a shy smile, "One of you?"
Coricopat moved on his other side, reaching over Mistoffeelees to gently stroke the tiny kitten's fur,
"Yeah, Misto. One of the four of us."